Sprint Reportedly To Offer Unlimited Data for iPhone 5

First, The Wall Street Journal reported that Sprint would get the iPhone 5. Now, Bloomberg is reporting that Sprint will follow in the footsteps of Verizon and offer an unlimited-data package plan. But some analysts are wary of the rumors.

Two weeks ago, the Journal cited people familiar with the matter saying Sprint would start selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October. That would help Sprint compete with Verizon and AT&T and leave a struggling T-Mobile out of the iPhone loop.

Bloomberg picked up where the Journal left off, also citing people familiar with the matter, with a report that Sprint would rely on unlimited-data service plans to distinguish itself from the other iPhone carriers.

"It's a competitive disadvantage if your two larger competitors have the iPhone and you don't," Matthew Thornton, an analyst at Avian Securities, told Bloomberg. "Getting the iPhone closes that gap."

Rumors Likely True

The rumors aren't so farfetched. Sprint does, after all, offer unlimited data plans on high-profile smartphones for $100 a month. BlackBerry and HTC devices that run on the third-largest carrier can tap into plans for all-you-can eat voice and data service.

But carriers have run into problems with unlimited-data plans for the iPhone.

Even if Sprint did get the iPhone 5 -- and even if Sprint offered unlimited-data plans on the device -- the unlimited plans might be short-lived.

The unlimited plans were offered as Verizon rolled out its iPhone 4, in a move to win customers from AT&T. But in July Verizon put the kibosh on the all-you-can-eat services for new accounts.

"I think it's a little too early to discuss because the rumors have been spring rumors," said Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis. "I am going to wait until there is something to comment on. I am not saying Sprint won't get the iPhone 5, but Sprint didn't say it."

Death of Unlimited?

Verizon's kibosh was followed by AT&T's decision to throttle the heaviest mobile broadband users on its network. Starting Oct. 1, AT&T smartphone customers with unlimited plans -- the wireless carrier describes these customers as those whose extraordinary level of data usage puts them in the top 5 percent of heaviest users in a billing period -- may experience throttling, or reduced connection speeds.

AT&T stressed that the action would only affect a minority of consumers, those who use 12 times more data on average than typical smartphone data customers. Essentially, consumers that aren't data hogs won't notice any difference in connection speeds.

So, again, even if "people familiar with the matter" are reporting that Sprint will get the iPhone 5 in mid-October, and that it will offer unlimited data plans, it likely would be a matter of time before Sprint's network would become overloaded by the mobile broadband hogs -- and the third-largest carrier would have to do what its competitors are doing, shift down.

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Sprint Cancels Store Leave, Confirms iPhone 5 Launch Window [REPORT]

In this episode Pizza... in... SPAAAAAACE! Domino's unveils plans for the first pizza joint on the Moon Mind-controlled, self-powered robot bugs: University of Michigan researchers invent a tiny generator for cyborg insects Toss your cell phone, win a prize: Finland … Continue reading ?

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Reports say Sprint will entice iPhone owners with unlimited data

The rumors about the next iPhone showing up on Sprint’s network have moved on from “it’s happening” to “here’s how,” with a new report suggesting Sprint will offer unlimited data to set itself apart from Verizon and AT&T.

The report comes from Bloomberg, which cites unnamed sources “familiar with the matter.” The iPhone is set to launch on Sprint in October, and the company wants to make sure that current iPhone owners on Verizon and AT&T will consider switching over the Sprint’s service, since both those carriers have a pretty big lead on the No. 3 cellular carrier.

Sprint is struggling to keep up with Verizon and AT&T, especially since both have carried the iPhone since February (and AT&T since its inception). Given that Apple is supposedly ordering a total of 56 million iPhones to sell this year, and that iPhones account for 26 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, Sprint should get a serious shot in the arm by offering Apple’s latest device this fall.

But while just having the iPhone should lead to Sprint trading in a lot of customers’ phones and selling a whole lot more phones to new customers, Sprint obviously won’t be content to just be on equal footing with AT&T and Verizon. It has suffered a serious disadvantage without the iPhone, but now that the company might have it, it’ll need to offer a little something more to convert customers from the other two networks. Hence unlimited data for a flat rate – and I wouldn’t be surprised if Sprint was even more aggressive with deals and incentives.

Sprint declined to comment about the iPhone or the possibility of unlimited data, Bloomberg writes. It does offer unlimited data and voice already, though, for smartphones like the Google Android-running HTC EVO and Research In Motion’s BlackBerry devices. Unlimited voice and data plans currently go for $99.99 a month (or $69.99 with 450 minutes talk-time).

On the other side of the fence, both AT&T and Verizon have phased out unlimited data offerings for new or plan-switching customers. AT&T offers an unlimited voice plan at $69.99 a month and then data plans at $15 monthly for 200 megabytes, $25 for 2 gigabytes, or $45 for 4 gigabytes. Meanwhile, Verizon skips the lower tier offering and goes straight to a 2-gigabyte plan for $30 monthly, but offers a much higher tier at 10 gigabytes for $80 per month. It also offers a $69.99 unlimited voice plan.

If rumors are true about Sprint and the iPhone, which it seems more and more likely they are, expect to see that company get aggressive about pulling customers away from its rivals. That’ll be especially true if one other rumor bears out that T-Mobile will also end up with the iPhone. Sprint is in a position to do some damage with Apple’s device if it plays its cards right, but in a field where all four cellular carriers have Apple’s device, Sprint will need to make customers really think twice before renewing their contracts with Verizon and AT&T.

View the original article here

Sprint Cancels Store Leave, Confirms iPhone 5 Launch Window [REPORT]

In this episode Pizza... in... SPAAAAAACE! Domino's unveils plans for the first pizza joint on the Moon Mind-controlled, self-powered robot bugs: University of Michigan researchers invent a tiny generator for cyborg insects Toss your cell phone, win a prize: Finland … Continue reading ?

View the original article here

Reports say Sprint will entice iPhone owners with unlimited data

The rumors about the next iPhone showing up on Sprint’s network have moved on from “it’s happening” to “here’s how,” with a new report suggesting Sprint will offer unlimited data to set itself apart from Verizon and AT&T.

The report comes from Bloomberg, which cites unnamed sources “familiar with the matter.” The iPhone is set to launch on Sprint in October, and the company wants to make sure that current iPhone owners on Verizon and AT&T will consider switching over the Sprint’s service, since both those carriers have a pretty big lead on the No. 3 cellular carrier.

Sprint is struggling to keep up with Verizon and AT&T, especially since both have carried the iPhone since February (and AT&T since its inception). Given that Apple is supposedly ordering a total of 56 million iPhones to sell this year, and that iPhones account for 26 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, Sprint should get a serious shot in the arm by offering Apple’s latest device this fall.

But while just having the iPhone should lead to Sprint trading in a lot of customers’ phones and selling a whole lot more phones to new customers, Sprint obviously won’t be content to just be on equal footing with AT&T and Verizon. It has suffered a serious disadvantage without the iPhone, but now that the company might have it, it’ll need to offer a little something more to convert customers from the other two networks. Hence unlimited data for a flat rate – and I wouldn’t be surprised if Sprint was even more aggressive with deals and incentives.

Sprint declined to comment about the iPhone or the possibility of unlimited data, Bloomberg writes. It does offer unlimited data and voice already, though, for smartphones like the Google Android-running HTC EVO and Research In Motion’s BlackBerry devices. Unlimited voice and data plans currently go for $99.99 a month (or $69.99 with 450 minutes talk-time).

On the other side of the fence, both AT&T and Verizon have phased out unlimited data offerings for new or plan-switching customers. AT&T offers an unlimited voice plan at $69.99 a month and then data plans at $15 monthly for 200 megabytes, $25 for 2 gigabytes, or $45 for 4 gigabytes. Meanwhile, Verizon skips the lower tier offering and goes straight to a 2-gigabyte plan for $30 monthly, but offers a much higher tier at 10 gigabytes for $80 per month. It also offers a $69.99 unlimited voice plan.

If rumors are true about Sprint and the iPhone, which it seems more and more likely they are, expect to see that company get aggressive about pulling customers away from its rivals. That’ll be especially true if one other rumor bears out that T-Mobile will also end up with the iPhone. Sprint is in a position to do some damage with Apple’s device if it plays its cards right, but in a field where all four cellular carriers have Apple’s device, Sprint will need to make customers really think twice before renewing their contracts with Verizon and AT&T.

View the original article here